As He Lies Sleeping
by Scribbles-by-Kate
Summary: As Rumplestiltskin sleeps, Belle seeks a way to wake him up and deals with various visitors to the shop. She gives help, advice, and support where she can, and even gets a few things off her chest. In the end, she may just get some support and advice in return. Post season four story.
1. Chapter 1

Once Upon a Time is the property of Adam Horowitz, Eddy Kitsis, and ABC. I'm making no money from this: it's purely for fun.

 **As He Lies Sleeping**

 _Part One: Henry_

She brushes his hair back and strokes his cheek. Then she rests her hand over his heart and smiles when she feels the slow but steady thump of it against his ribcage. She's been doing that a lot: just checking to be sure he's still with her. She thought she'd lose him, but he's still here, still holding on, and now the Darkness has been removed, so he's just Rumple now, or he will be again, once she can figure out how to wake him up.

So far, the books haven't said anything about how to wake someone up after a spell like the one the Apprentice performed, and the Blue Fairy hasn't been able to find anything that might help either, so Belle thinks this might be something that has to happen on its own, unless the Sorcerer can help. The books don't say much about him either, except that his name is Merlin and that he helped King Arthur found Camelot and make it a great kingdom. They also say what she already knows, that he battled the Darkness and bound it to a human soul. Rumple was that soul, or one of them, at least, since she knows he wasn't the Dark One all that time. That's why he could be controlled using that awful dagger. Not any more, though: that's something, but now someone else has to endure that fate, so there's another reason besides saving Rumple that they need to find Merlin. Emma must be saved from the fate Rumple endured for all those centuries.

She tucks the blanket around Rumple and holds his hand.

'I'll find a way to help you wake up, Rumple,' she tells him: 'I promise.'

The bell over the front door sounds and she looks up. No one has come here since Robin came and told her what happened to Emma, three nights ago.

'Hello?'

It's Henry. Belle hasn't seen him since that night his mother disappeared. She checks that Rumple is comfortable once more and then stands and goes to the front of the shop to meet him.

'Hello, Henry,' she greets: 'it's good to see you.'

'Hi, Belle: it's good to see you too.' He comes a little closer.

Even in her heels, he's taller than her now, and she has to look up a little to meet his eyes. He's tired, she sees, and worried.

'Is there something you need, Henry: anything I can help with?'

He shakes his head. 'I know you're busy taking care of Mr Gold…Grandpa.' She smiles at that. 'How is he?'

'There's been no change,' she tells him, 'but he's stable, so at least there's that. I've been going through the books to see if I can find a way to wake him. I've been looking for information on Merlin too. Once we find him, he may be able to help Rumple wake up, and help your mum.'

He nods. 'We've been combing his house too: Regina's wrecked the place trying to find answers, but nothing so far, and Emma hasn't come back.'

She can hear the tremor in his voice and she reaches out and curls her hand around his shoulder. She can feel him shaking.

'Henry, she will come back, and we will find Merlin: you have to believe that. Don't lose hope.'

He turns and steps into her arms, and she holds him as he shakes from fear and sadness and exhaustion.

'It's going to be alright,' she whispers: 'it will.' She can feel him sob and hugs him a little tighter.

'How come you have so much faith?' he asks a few moments later, pulling back and wiping his eyes.

She smiles a little. 'I didn't for a while there,' she tells him, 'but, lately, I've found it again.'

'Since Grandpa came back?'

'Yes, and since I realised that I was wrong about some things that I thought about him and us. Now that he's free of the Darkness, we can have another chance.'

'So, if Grandpa isn't the Dark One any more, what will he be like?'

She smiles again. 'That remains to be seen, but without the Darkness corrupting him, I hope that people will be able to see the good man that I always saw before the Darkness started to take over.'

'Will that happen to my Mom?' he asks. 'Will the Darkness take her over?'

'No,' she says emphatically, 'because we're going to find Merlin before it does.'

'I hope so,' Henry says earnestly.

'I think that with you helping, Merlin will be found before we know it,' she says.

'What makes you say that?' he wonders.

'Because I know that you're brave and resourceful, and you have a wonderful gift.'

'You mean me being the Author?'

'I mean that you have the heart of a believer,' she says, 'but being the Author will come in handy too, I'm sure. That's an amazing gift, and I'm sure you're going to do extraordinary things with it.'

'You think so?'

'Of course: just look at your family tree.'

He smiles and she does too.

'That's better,' she murmurs, pleased to see him smile.

'Thanks, Belle. I guess I needed a pep talk.'

'You're very welcome.' She pats his shoulder gently.

'Can-can I see Grandpa: just for a minute? I promise I won't disturb him.'

'Of course,' she says, and gestures for him to follow her.

Henry looks down at his grandfather as he lies on the cot.

'He looks just like he's sleeping,' he observes.

'Yes,' Belle says. 'You can sit if you like,' she says. 'I usually sit and talk to him: I think maybe it might help him come back if he hears my voice. I'm sure he'd like to hear yours too.'

'Ok,' Henry says, sitting down on the stool. 'What should I say?'

'Anything you want. Right now, he's a very good listener: he won't tell your secrets.' And she smiles a little. ' You know, I'm a little hungry. I was thinking of grabbing something to go from Granny's. I could pick you up something if you like?'

'That'd be great,' he says: 'I haven't been eating much lately. Guess I've been too worried.'

'That's understandable. What do you feel like?'

'Maybe a grilled cheese sandwich and onion rings?'

'Like your mum, right?'

He smiles. 'Yeah.'

She nods. 'Coming right up, and a coke to wash it down?'

'That'd be great: thanks, Belle.'

'You're quite welcome.' And she picks up her purse and leaves him to watch over his grandfather.

When she returns, Henry is reading from the story book. She smiles as she recognises words she said to her father and Gaston.

'Is that our story?' she asks curiously.

'Yeah,' Henry says. 'How you met is the only part that's in the book. Maybe when he wakes up, you can both tell me more of it so I can write it down.'

She smiles again. 'You really want to tell our story?'

'Yeah. I want to tell the true stories,' he tells her. 'The book doesn't tell all the stories properly. I guess that's because Isaac thought some stories were better or more important than others, but I want to tell all the stories.'

'I think that is a very noble project,' Belle says, 'and I think that when Rumple's recovered and we've sorted everything out, we'll be happy to tell you our true story.

'In the meantime, how about some lunch?' And she holds up the bag and cup holder she's carrying.

'I am actually pretty hungry now,' Henry admits.

'Good,' Belle says, and she unpacks the bag and hands him out his sandwich and onion rings, and his coke, and, taking her burger, fries, and iced tea, she pulls over a second stool to join Henry and Rumple.

'This is nice,' Henry says as they eat together.

'It is,' Belle agrees. 'We're very glad you visited with us, Henry.'

'Me too. Can I come back some time?'

'Any time you like: you're always welcome here.'

'Thanks. Hey, you think maybe Grandpa will smell our food and wake up hungry?'

Belle laughs. 'You know, he's very fond of hamburgers, so maybe.'

Henry grins.

 **Next up will be a less pleasant visitor that will enable Belle to get something off her chest.**


	2. Chapter 2

In this part, a queen comes calling and Belle unleashes her anger. Not Regina-friendly: you have been warned.

 **As He Lies Sleeping**

 _Part Two: Regina_

Belle looks up when she hears the bell. It's a day since Henry's visit and he asked if he could come back. She didn't think to see him again so soon, but she's pleased he's come to visit again.

'Two visits in two days,' she observes to Rumple. 'I'll be right back,' she tells him, stroking his hand.

She stands and goes out, a smile on her face for Henry, but it isn't Henry standing in the front of the shop: it's Regina. Belle's smile fades.

She backs away, her heart starting to race. She's been trying not to think about the other woman's hand ripping her heart out of her chest, but seeing her here brings it all back. She wants to be sick and she instinctively puts a protective hand on her chest.

'Get out,' she demands, wishing Rumple were awake and could hold her.

Regina only looks at her, making no move to exit the shop.

'Henry told me he visited with you yesterday,' she says now.

Belle doesn't speak. Is Regina really going to avoid what happened between them the last time she was here?

'I wanted to thank you for cheering him up,' Regina continues. 'He's been so down and I haven't been much help trying to keep his spirits up. Emma's disappearance has been—'

'Are you really going to just skip over what you did to me as if it means nothing?' Belle asks, cutting across the other woman, furious now.

Regina sighs, seemingly peeved that Belle has mentioned it, and that infuriates Belle more. It's as if the queen doesn't want to have to face what she did. She wonders if Regina would have apologised to her before if she hadn't brought up what she did to her then.

'I'm sorry about that,' Regina says now.

Belle shakes her head: sorry isn't enough this time.

'No, you see, you've said that before. Apologies mean nothing when go back on them at the first opportunity. I thought you'd changed: I thought you were past treating me as a pawn, but I see now that I was wrong. I trusted you once, a long time ago, but I shouldn't have, and I shouldn't have trusted you this time either: I won't make that mistake again. I want you to leave, Regina.'

'It wasn't personal,' the queen says, as if that makes it any better.

Belle glares at her. 'I really don't care: please leave.'

'He was working with Zelena: he was going to tell her to kill Robin,' Regina tries to explain.' Taking your heart was the only way I knew that might stop him.'

'You're not making any sense: Zelena's dead.' Belle won't listen to some nonsense excuse: she knows Regina's just trying to make what she did ok in her own mind.

'No,' Regina insists. 'She opened the time portal and brought Emma back. She killed Marian and took her place. Rumple was working with her.'

'Even if it were true that Zelena was alive,' Belle says impatiently, 'she killed his son and enslaved him for nearly a year. She did terrible things to him: why on earth would he be willing to work with her?' There's no way Belle will ever believe that. Rumple would only do that if he didn't have a choice, and that means he wasn't a willing participant in Zelena's scheme, whatever that was.

'I can't explain that, but he was,' Regina insists again. 'He was going to tell her to kill Robin unless I helped him.' And she looks helplessly at Belle now, obviously wanting her to understand and accept her point of view.

Belle doesn't believe that Rumple wanted Robin dead, or that he was going to tell Zelena to kill him, and she's just so mad that Regina is trying to excuse what she did: there's no excuse for hurting her like that, for violating her like that.

'So you took my heart to use as leverage so he wouldn't do that?' she asks. And that's really not fair. Why is her life worth less than Robin's: because she's important to Rumple? It's as if she's not a person at all to Regina.

'Exactly.' Regina sounds a little relieved, as if she's glad Belle understands.

Belle stares at her. She can't believe this. She's so angry, and Regina needs to hear it.

'No one knows better than I what kinds of horrible things Rumple has done in the last few months,' she begins, 'but he was under the influence of a terrible, sentient Darkness, a Darkness that was consuming him. That may not excuse him entirely, but it does excuse a lot. I see now that a lot of what he did wasn't really him, or wasn't only him. You weren't under the influence of a Darkness with a mind of its own, Regina: you did what you did all on your own, and, this time, I don't know if I have it in me to forgive you.

'Taking my heart so you could keep Robin safe doesn't excuse you. My life is not worth less than his. I'm not a pawn to be used in your feud with Rumple.'

The queen looks uncomfortable at being told off, but Belle isn't done yet. The worst thing Regina did wasn't steal her heart: it was what she did with it, what she made her do.

'You know, I would have helped you,' she says now, really trying not to cry at how angry and betrayed she feels: 'I even asked _how_ I could help. I would happily have gone and talked to him for you, and I think I could have gotten him to listen. You didn't have to rip my heart out and make me say those cruel things to Rumple. But the worst thing you did — worse even than taking my heart in the first place — was making me forget what he told me.' And now it's really difficult not to cry: she has to blink back her tears. 'I could have helped him: I could have found another way to save him instead of him getting the Author to write new stories. By making me forget, you took away my chance to try to save him. If I could have helped him, maybe things would have gone differently: maybe he'd be standing here with me, and maybe Emma wouldn't have become the Dark One.' She sniffles as she thinks of how awful this whole situation is. 'Every action has consequences, Regina, even yours: maybe you should think about that in future.

'Maybe some day I'll be able to forgive you or at least move past what you did to me, but not today. I don't want you here, Regina: please leave.'

Regina looks back at her for a moment, but then she turns and walks out of the shop, Belle's anger and emotion obviously not something she wants to deal with. Or perhaps, seeing Belle so upset has made her feel ashamed and guilty, but Belle is not sure about that, though guilt and shame would tell her that Regina knows what she did was wrong.

Belle releases a shaky breath and leans back against the wall for a moment. Regina's done so many awful things to her. She thought that her apology was the end of all of that, but the moment it suited her, she took advantage of her again. She supposes she shouldn't be surprised, given what she means to Rumple, but she's more than Rumple's True Love: she's more than a pawn to be used against him. Somehow she needs to make people see that.

Regina's made her see that she trusts too easily. She'll have to stop doing that, otherwise she's just going to get tricked and taken advantage of again. She'll be more wary about helping people from now on.

She doesn't doubt that Regina is trying to be better, just obviously not when it suits her better to be the Evil Queen again: when that gets her what she wants quicker than being nice. But Belle would have helped her willingly if she'd just _asked_. She didn't have to be cruel. Maybe it's just that she's working to be better with everyone but Belle. That's certainly how it seems right now, and Belle isn't sure whether she's more angry or more sad about that.

Well, there's nothing more to be done about it. She has more pressing concerns to take care of. Trying to put the encounter out of her mind, she goes back into the back room and sits down next to Rumple.

'Sorry about that, my love,' she tells him, and picks up the book she's been reading to him. 'Now, where were we? Oh, yes: chapter three.'

 **Next time, a friend comes needing Belle's research skills, and he tells her something she didn't know that vindicates her belief about Rumple.**


	3. Chapter 3

Short instalment today. Robin is in need of Belle's research skills and he tells her something about Rumple.

 **As He Lies Sleeping**

 _Part Three: Robin_

Belle is wiping down the counter when the door opens and Robin enters.

'Hello, Belle,' he greets, smiling.

'Hi, Robin,' she returns, a little uneasy. Her angry confrontation with Regina yesterday is still playing on her mind. She couldn't help her anger and she thinks she was more than justified in what she said, but Robin is her friend and she doesn't want to lose that.

'I brought you some books we found at Merlin's house,' he says. 'Henry thought you might be able to translate them, since you're so much more a scholar than we are.' He smiles again.

'I'll do my best,' she says, smiling back.

He hands over the books and she glances through them.

'I think I can manage these,' she says. 'Ancient Altarian and Old Elvish shouldn't prove too tricky. Give me a few days and I'll get back to you if I find anything that might be useful.'

'That would be great: thank you so much, Belle. Regina's been tearing her hair out trying to find a way to help Emma.'

'I'm sure she has,' Belle says, though it would be nice if the queen showed that much consideration to everyone. Still, at least she seems to care about Emma. 'You don't need to thank me, though: what helps Emma might help Rumple too, so this benefits me as much as you.'

'How is he?' Robin asks.

'Stable. I'm just grateful the Apprentice was able to suck out the Darkness from his heart before it consumed him completely. Now all I have to do is figure out how to wake him up, or how to help him wake up.'

'I'm sure you will,' Robin encourages her, 'and maybe there's something in these books that will help.'

'Maybe,' she agrees. She takes the books through to the back room, inviting him to follow.

'He looks comfortable, at least,' he observes, looking down at Rumple.

'Yes. The Apprentice's stasis spell seems to be holding, even though he's no longer with us, poor man.'

'And how are you holding up?' Robin asks.

'I'm trying to be positive,' she says, 'trying to find the good in our situation. He's here: he's alive, and we're together, in a way. I'll be here for him when he wakes up. The best part is that I know now that what I thought wasn't true: he does love me. He always did: it was just the Darkness blinding us both. Now I know for sure that he really is the man I always saw. That's the man he always wanted to be. I know he tried as hard as he could to be that man, but the Darkness was too strong in the end. Still, it's gone now and he's free, and we can start again.'

Robin smiles at her hopefulness.

'You know, I saw a little glimpse of that man you talk about,' he tells her.

'You did?' She wonders when he had opportunity to see Rumple's goodness.

He nods. 'Our paths crossed in New York and he gave me some advice. We were talking about happy endings and he said that he had thrown away every chance at happiness because it was never enough. He said that if I knew where my happy ending lay, I should grasp it and never let go.' He smiles and shakes his head. 'He was trying to tell me to go back to Regina, but I was too blind to see it. He didn't mention your name, but I could see in his eyes that he missed you. Even with the Darkness consuming him, he loved you more than anything.'

She smiles tearfully, grateful for his confidence. 'Thank you. I see that now. I should never have doubted him.' She smiles at Rumple and then looks at Robin again, realising the significance of what he's told her, and that it goes against what Regina believes.

'You should tell Regina what you just told me,' she says. 'She was here yesterday. She believes that Rumple was working with Zelena. I think if she knew he'd advised you to come back to her, she might see that he wasn't. Rumple would never willingly work with Zelena, not after what she put him through.'

'I'll tell her,' he says.

She nods. 'I'll be in touch about those translations.'

He nods and hugs her. 'Take care, Belle.'

'You too, Robin.'

She sees him out and then sets to work.

 **Next time, Regina returns with a question for Belle, who in turn gives the queen some advice.**


	4. Chapter 4

Very short this time. Regina returns, both enlightened and confused, and Belle gives the queen some much-needed advice.

 **As He Lies Sleeping**

 _Part Four: Regina_

She's deep into translating the Altarian text when the door opens again.

She looks up as Regina enters.

'I thought I said I didn't want you here,' she says: 'why can't you respect that?' She's suddenly feeling hysterical. Why won't Regina just respect her enough to do the decent thing? Can't she see it makes her upset and angry to be around her?

Regina holds her hands up in a gesture of peace, though, and Belle's heart stops beating so hard, especially since Regina stays near the door, a good distance away.

'I came because Robin told me what he told you, about what Rumple said to him,' Regina says quietly.

Belle nods. 'Good, so maybe now you understand what I was trying to tell you yesterday.' At least Regina is acknowledging that maybe she was wrong about Rumple.

'I guess I do,' Regina says contritely. 'Rumple's plans were never exactly straightforward, though.'

'Yes, well, I'm glad you understand. Goodbye, Regina.' Belle has nothing more to say.

'I just…' Regina begins.

'What?' Belle asks, on edge. She just wants the queen gone.

'You didn't tell Robin about me taking your heart.'

'No,' Belle agrees.

'Why not?' She looks confused: she obviously thinks everyone resorts to blackmail to get what they want.

'Not everyone is like you, Regina,' Belle says: 'not everyone wants revenge on people who've wronged them. Some of us would rather live for ourselves and the people we love than waste time plotting schemes that can never make us happy. And you needn't worry about me holding it over you as leverage: that isn't my style either. I won't tell anyone and I won't use it against you: I don't much like myself when I use things against people and I've sworn never to do that again.' She looks towards the back room as she speaks. The last time she used something against someone was when she used the dagger against Rumple. She hated herself for that and that's something she never wants to feel again.

'Maybe you'll take some advice, though,' she says now, looking back at Regina. 'If you really want to change: if you really want to be a better person, you might want to start by being honest about the things you've done. Redemption isn't just about doing good things for people, Regina, it's also about owning up to the bad things you've done.

'Now, if you'll excuse me, I have translating to get back to.'

She looks back down at the book and, a moment later, the bell jingles as the door opens and closes behind Regina. Belle breathes a sigh of relief.

 **No idea if Belle will tell people what Regina did to her, but this scenario is plausible for her character. We'll see if Regina takes her advice to heart. Next time, Belle tries to give a disgruntled Killian some advice, based on her own experiences and mistakes.**


	5. Chapter 5

Belle shares some words of wisdom with Hook, who doesn't know what to do about Emma's new situation.

 **As He Lies Sleeping**

 _Part Five: Killian_

Belle frowns when she finds the door to the pawn shop open: she's sure she locked it before she went to the diner.

She hurries through to the back room and finds Killian there, staring down at Rumple.

'Killian?' she asks, moving forward and putting herself between him and Rumple, not liking the look on the pirate captain's face. 'What are you doing here? How did you get in?'

'Came to check on the old Crocodile,' he says, and she can tell he's been drinking. 'Looks quite peaceful, doesn't he? Not that he has any right to be peaceful after the mess he's created.' He produces a flask and takes a drink. She wrinkles her nose at the smell.

He's angry. She's not surprised; nor is she surprised that he's blaming Rumple for all this, but he needs to understand that it's not Rumple's fault.

'Killian, I know you're upset about Emma, but what happened to her isn't Rumple's fault. The Darkness has a mind of its own: you saw it attack the Apprentice. I know that Rumple did terrible things, but he was under the influence of the Darkness. You have to understand that Rumple is not really like that: he didn't mean for this to happen.'

'Figured you'd say that,' he says irritably, shooting her a dark look.

She looks defiantly up at him. 'I'm saying it because it's true. Look, I know you're angry, but what happened is not Rumple's fault.'

'How do you know he didn't plan for this to happen?' he demands. 'He was planning to take over the world when he had that hat. Maybe he _wanted_ Emma to be the Dark One.'

'What he wanted was to write the Dark One out of existence,' she tells him. Rumple didn't tell her that, of course, but she's put two and two together. 'That's why he found the Author,' she goes on. 'He didn't _want_ it to take over or to be passed on. Rumple doesn't want to take over the world either: he just wants the people he loves to be safe and happy.' She knows in her heart that's true, and she loves him for it.

'How do you know that?' he asks: 'how do you know what he's really like? You've never known him without the Darkness: how do you know you'll love the man he is without it?'

She shakes her head and smiles a little. 'I fell in love with the man he really is,' she says quietly. 'I don't expect you or anyone else to understand what Rumple and I have: it's complicated. I just know that, deep down, there's always been a kernel of the man he was before he became the Dark One, and that's the man I love. I see who he truly is. I see the man he can be, and now that he's not burdened by the Darkness, he has a chance to be that man.'

'You think he's a good man?' he asks.

'I know he's a good man.' She's reaffirmed that in her heart. The night she banished him, she told him that she no longer saw the man beneath the beast, but she didn't understand fully about the Darkness then: now she does, and she knows her husband is a good man at heart.

Killian laughs and shakes his head now. 'He's a bloody coward.'

'He has been, yes,' she agrees. 'You think I don't know that, Killian? You think I don't know that he's flawed?' Of course she knows that. Everyone is, and his flaws are part of what she loves.

He looks at her, quiet now. Evidently, she's surprised him.

'I know exactly who he is,' she says. 'I know all about his tendency towards self preservation, his secretiveness, and his weakness for power, and I also know what he went through that created those flaws. I know he's not perfect: I never wanted that. All I ever wanted was for him to be the man he wants to be, the best version of himself. The only thing I didn't understand until recently is that he could never truly be that man with the Darkness inside him. He tried as hard as he could to fight it: I know that now. I blamed him for things that weren't his fault, but now he's free: he has another chance to be the man I know he can be, his best self.'

'You seem very sure he can be that man now,' he says sceptically.

She nods. 'I am. Now, if there's nothing you need my help with, Killian, I think it's time for you to go. You standing there, glaring at Rumple, isn't going to help Emma, and neither is rum.' She looks disapprovingly at the flask in his hand. 'The best thing you can do now is go and sober up and find a way to help Emma that's constructive.'

'I don't know what to do,' he says helplessly. 'Why did she have to do this? Why'd she have to sacrifice herself for Regina?' He's very angry about that, she sees, and maybe that's what's really fuelling his anger, and not Rumple at all.

'Isn't that what Emma does?' Belle asks: 'save people? Isn't that why you love her?' She'd assumed that was why, at least: she'd assumed he admired her for her strength, her goodness.

'She's supposed to be the Saviour, not the bloody Dark One!' he snaps. 'I don't know how to…'

 _Deal with that_ , she realises is the unfinished part of his sentence. Obviously he doesn't want Emma to be the Dark One, but it sounds like he hates that she is now, as if he wants her always to be the pure Saviour. People change, though, and Emma sacrificed herself for what she believed was right: she was incredibly brave, Belle thinks. She frowns as he strides around the small space, helpless and angry.

'I don't know what to do,' he says again, and she can tell he's on the verge of tears now. Deep down, despite all his posturing and bravado, he's just scared. Once upon a time, she never would have thought she'd be giving advice to the man who tried to kill her repeatedly, but she believes he's changing, that his feelings for Emma are changing him for the better, and he's shown by his actions towards her that she's in no danger from him now, so she'll help him, if she can.

'I think that if you love Emma, then you need to find a way to support her and help her no matter what,' she says quietly. 'It's not easy, but if you love her, all the pain will be worth it in the end.' She sits beside Rumple now and takes his hand, knowing that her pain she went through was worth the new faith and hope she's found for them.

'What if it's not?' Killian asks: 'what if it's not worth it?'

She looks at him. 'True Love is always worth it. Only you can know how deep your love for Emma goes, Killian,' she says, 'if it's strong and true enough to survive no matter what. From my experience, you don't know if love is true until it's been tested and the test makes it stronger.'

'I told her she was my happy ending,' he says quietly.

'Are you not sure now?' she asks, because she can feel that's what's at the heart of what he's saying: he doesn't know if he can love Emma as the Dark One. If he can't, then it isn't True Love: his love is not deep enough for it to be True Love. She knows that, no matter what Rumple did, how much he hurt her and other people, she never stopped loving him: he was always her True Love, even if she didn't believe she was his for a little while there. It may not be the same for Killian with Emma. It isn't going to be easy for him to figure this out: nothing related to love is ever easy.

'I don't know,' he admits.

She nods. At least he's admitting it.

'I'm not the expert on love,' she says: 'far from it, in fact, but I do know that it can take a long time to get to the happy ending. Sometimes you think you've found it, but it's not the real one.' She remembers how happy she was on her wedding day, only for it all to fall apart because of the dagger and the Darkness.

'I've recently come to realise that the journey is the most important part,' she continues, 'the journey people in love take together. It's not always easy: it can be very hard, more often than not, but you have to accept that. You have to be prepared to journey over rough terrain together. Sometimes you will wonder if it's worth it. Sometimes you'll want to give up. Sometimes you _will_ give up and look for something uncomplicated and easy.' She thinks of Will and how different that was from Rumple, how much _less_ it was in every way. She'd wanted that: less, simple, uncomplicated. She hadn't wanted to get lost again like she did with Rumple, but she knows now that she wasn't really lost with him. Just as she told him she'd spent her life finding him, she was also finding herself, and she knows she can only do that with him. Will made her smile, and he distracted her from her pain a little, but she knows that she can only be truly happy with Rumple, complicated, messy, and difficult as their relationship has been. She loves him more than anything, and she smiles a little now.

'But then, if you're very lucky, you find your faith again,' she tells Killian, 'and you realise that the love you share is true after all, and you know that all the doubt and pain you felt was worth it when you find your way back to the one you love, and you find that your heart and your love are stronger for the experience of being apart. This is your rough terrain, Killian: only you can know if it's worth the hardship you're going to have to go through to reach your happy ending, and only you will be able to figure out if your happy ending is really with Emma.'

'What should I do?' he asks, watching her.

'For a start, get rid of the rum,' she advises; 'then, search your heart for the answers you seek. They may not come immediately: in my experience, they don't, often, but they'll come, in time.'

He stares at her. 'You seem…peaceful,' he observes.

She smiles. 'I am: more at peace than I have been in a while. I know things now that made me understand that I was right about him and us all along. I think the Darkness infected me too, but it's gone now and I see clearly again. You need to try to do the same, Killian: you have to try not to let it get to you. If you truly love Emma, believe in her, believe in the Emma you knew before she took on the Darkness: she's still there inside. Don't make the mistake I did and mistake the Darkness for Emma. It'll be hard: she'll do things under the influence of the Darkness that you'll find difficult, but don't make my mistake and blame her for things she can't help, the things the Darkness drives her to do. She'll try to be strong, but Rumple tried to be strong too, and it wasn't enough. Just remember Emma's goodness: remember that when things seem impossible.'

He studies her for a long moment.

'I don't know if I can be like you,' he says quietly: 'you're a better person than me.'

She shakes her head. 'If recent experience has taught me anything, it's that I have many flaws.' She leans forward a little. 'Killian, I gave up on Rumple,' she says candidly: 'I gave up on my True Love.' She blinks a little, fighting back tears. 'It's the worst mistake I've ever made in my life.'

'Hey,' he says, leaning down a little to look her in the eye, 'didn't you just tell me that sometimes you give up, but then you find your faith again, and you realise the love is true and find your way back?'

She smiles. 'I did,' she acknowledges. 'I'm just saying that it doesn't matter how good a person you are: when it comes to love, the best of us mess it up. The good thing about love, though, is that people love us despite our faults and we love them the same. You just have to try to be strong and figure out what your heart wants, and if it turns out that Emma's not your happy ending any more, I hope that it's because you want something else more and it's not because of the Darkness, because that's not Emma's fault.'

He nods. 'You've, eh, given me a lot to think about. Didn't know I'd be getting a lecture when I came in here, but I appreciate the advice,' he says, raising his hand when he sees her about to protest at the word lecture. 'Thanks, Belle, really.'

She nods. 'You're welcome.'

He moves to leave.

'Maybe he'll wake up soon,' he says, and she sees he's trying to offer her comfort.

'I hope so,' she says. She smiles at Rumple and then watches him go.

He's got a lot of soul searching to do. It might not be as easy for him to figure out his feelings for Emma as it was for her to figure out hers for Rumple, but then he's a very different person than she is, and he and Emma are different from her and Rumple. She's come through her crisis of faith with her faith restored, but she doesn't know if it will be the same for him. She's sure he cares for Emma, but only he knows if it's love, and it has to be a special kind of love to be True Love.

'Well, that was interesting,' she says to Rumple. 'Perhaps he'll grow a little from this experience,' she says. 'I know I have from what happened with us. I've learnt so much, Rumple. I don't think I really knew what I had with you until I made you leave. I'm so sorry about that, and I'm just so, so glad you came back.' She kisses the back of his hand and lays it gently on the blanket.

'Now, how about I read to you some more, hmm?'

 **So, there we go. I think that would be an interesting dynamic between them going through season five: Hook not knowing what to do and Belle, as someone who's been in love with the person who is the Dark One, giving him advice. Next time, the final chapter. Henry returns and Belle soothes his upset about something, and he gives her some advice.**


	6. Chapter 6

Final chapter. Henry returns and gives Belle some advice about Rumple. There's a surprise at the end as well :)

 **As He Lies Sleeping**

 _Part Six: Henry_

'Belle?'

She looks up as she hears Henry's voice, and then pats Rumple's hand and tells him she'll be right back before going to greet his grandson.

'Hey, Henry,' she greets. 'What's wrong?' she asks, because she can see that he's not happy about something. Something has upset him. 'What happened?' she asks, going to him and touching his shoulder.

He looks at her and she wonders for a moment if _she's_ done something to upset him.

'Regina told me what she did,' he tells her: 'I'm sorry.'

She's surprised. She hadn't expected Regina to take her advice and come clean. Now she realises that he's not upset with _her_ : he's upset on her behalf.

'Henry, this isn't something you need to apologise for,' she tells him gently.

'She shouldn't have done it,' he tells her, and she can see he's angry with his mother. 'Heroes don't take people's hearts to use as leverage, and Zelena killed my dad: no way would Grandpa work with her. Maybe he let her think he was, but… Sometimes my mom's a real idiot.'

Belle can't say she disagrees with that, but she doesn't want Henry to hate his mother: she's not so angry with Regina that she would ever want that.

'We all do wrong things sometimes,' she says. 'It was wrong of me to banish your grandfather without letting him explain himself. I did that because I was scared and angry, and I'm sure your mother was scared for Robin too. Fear drives people to do terrible things: your mother and I are not so different there.' She can admit that, but she still doesn't understand why Regina couldn't just talk to her, couldn't ask for her help instead of betraying her like she did.

'But Grandpa was hurting people,' Henry says, 'and he hurt you, and he might not have been able to stop doing bad things if you hadn't made him leave. Regina only did that to you because Grandpa loves you. She used you: she had no right to do that. You were innocent. Robin said that: he's really angry with her too.'

'She told Robin too?' Belle asks, surprised.

Henry nods. 'Yeah: she told him first and then me. She was pretty upset,' he says, and Belle can see he feels a little bad for his mother.

'Why do you think she told you, Henry?' she asks.

'I guess maybe she didn't want us to find out from someone else,' he said. Belle actually gives the queen more credit than that, though: Regina telling Henry and Robin the truth shows her that she did listen to what she said. Of course, she'll still have to prove she's changing through her behaviour towards her, and she'll probably never trust the queen completely, but maybe she really can change: Belle hopes so, for Henry and Robin's sake more than anything else.

'Or maybe she really is sorry and she knows she has to face up to the bad things she's done as the first step towards being forgiven,' she says now.

'Do you forgive her?' he asks.

'That's going to take time,' she says honestly: she's not going to pretend it's all ok, not even for Henry. 'I thought we were in a better place after she apologised to me, but then she betrayed that by taking my heart. That betrayal isn't something I can easily forgive. To be honest, I don't know if I can trust her not to do something like that again. I'll have to wait and see if she truly can behave better towards me this time.'

She puts her two hands on his shoulders and smiles at him.

'But Regina telling you the truth means she does want to be better: she's just struggling with it. We all do that. I think that she wants you to be proud of her, and that's why she told you the truth. She wants you to know that she knows it was wrong and she's trying.'

'So, you're you saying I shouldn't be mad at her?'

'No, all I'm saying is maybe don't hold onto your anger for too long. Regina made a terrible choice, but we all do, and you can't let anger rule your heart, because if you do that, you might find it hard to find your way back from it. She loves you, Henry, and she wants you to be proud of her.'

He nods. 'I guess sometimes you have to go back a few steps on the road to redemption.'

'We all have to do that sometimes,' Belle agrees. 'So, do you think you can talk to her now?'

He smiles. 'I guess I can call her and tell her I'll be home after I visit with you and Grandpa for a bit. Is that ok with you?'

She smiles. 'Of course: you know you're always welcome here.'

She leaves him alone to talk to his mother and, a few minutes later, he comes through to the back room and smiles at her.

'All good?' she asks.

'Yeah: I told her I'd be home in a little while. She was happy about that.'

'That's good.'

'So, how's Grandpa doing?' he asks, pulling up a stool and joining her at his grandfather's bedside.

'Still the same,' she tells him. 'I can only hope he's comfortable and peaceful.'

'After Emma woke me up from the sleeping curse, I used to go to a place whenever I went to sleep,' Henry tells her, looking down at his grandfather. 'Grandpa called it a netherworld. I stopped going there after a while, but I was thinking that maybe that's where Grandpa went.'

'He told me about that,' she says, 'but isn't that just for victims of the sleeping curse?'

'I'm not sure,' Henry says. 'Maybe other souls can go there too. Maybe that's where Grandpa's soul is and he's trying to find his way back.'

It makes sense, Belle thinks. She discounted the netherworld because she thought it was just for sleeping curse victims, but perhaps Henry is right and Rumple's soul found its way there. It's the first good lead she's had: nothing else has been any help, not even the books Robin brought her.

'Maybe you're right, Henry,' she says quietly.

'If I am, then it should be easy to wake him up,' Henry says, smiling.

'How?' she wonders.

'True Love's Kiss,' he tells her, looking at her like she should know that.

'True Love's… I didn't think of that.'

'Why not?' Henry asks, surprised.

'Because the last time I tried True Love's Kiss, it didn't go well,' she replies, grimacing at the memory of his anger.

'What happened?'

'He pulled away. He got really angry with me. It was working, but I guess his fear of losing the power and the Darkness inside him made him react badly. Looking back, it's probably a good thing he didn't let it work, because if it had, it would just have released all that Darkness back into the world.'

'And the Darkness might have attacked you like it did the Apprentice.'

Belle shivers a little and looks down at Rumple. Maybe part of his reaction was him trying to protect her from that. Complicated, beautiful, noble man!

'He doesn't have the Darkness in him now,' Henry reminds her: 'I bet it would work.'

Belle looks at him and then back at Rumple. Would it work? Would her love be enough to wake him? She blinks as her eyes well up.

'Are you ok?' Henry asks, alarmed.

She nods and swipes at her tears.

'I'm fine, I just…I've missed him so much, and to think I could wake him up…'

Henry smiles. 'True Love's Kiss is the most powerful magic in all the realms,' he says, and he sounds very like his grandfather suddenly.

'Yes,' Belle says, smiling back. 'Thank you, Henry.'

'I didn't do anything,' he says.

'Yes, you did,' she tells him: 'you're a very smart boy.' She reaches out and rubs his shoulder. She knows his father would be proud of him.

'Well, I guess I'll go home and talk to Mom,' he says, 'but call me when he wakes up, ok?'

She nods and stands with him. 'I will, and thanks again.'

'The kiss will work,' he tells her.

'Well, seems you found your faith again too,' she says, smiling.

He smiles and hugs her.

They walk out to the front of the shop together.

'I'll see you soon,' she says, waving him off.

He nods and waves, smiling.

As soon as he's gone, she hurries back to Rumple, her heart in her mouth. Could this work? Could a kiss really be enough to wake him?

She takes a breath, attempting to calm herself. She needs to think. She can't have any qualms or any doubts about this, because that's the surest way for it not to work. She doesn't, she realises: she has no fears or doubts, not about them, not about their love. She believes in what she told Killian: sometimes you're lucky enough to find your faith again. Well, she's rediscovered hers, and it's made her heart and her love stronger. Whatever happens, this is True Love. Whatever state he's in when he wakes, she'll be here for him. She's had the experience of giving up, of being without him, and she never wants to go through that again.

'My love,' she murmurs, 'I have missed you so much. Is Henry right? Are you wandering in the netherworld, looking for a way back to me? I should've tried this before: I don't know why I didn't. The Darkness is gone now and I think you believed that I love you before you passed out. I think what we need to do is fill your heart back up with love again. I know we can do that. You were so full of love, Rumple, and you will be again. True Love's Kiss is the most powerful magic in all the realms, and I can kiss you as many times as you need to fill your heart again. We've got a journey ahead of us, my darling, but I'll be right here by your side.'

She places her hands on his cheeks, her lips trembling with emotion, her heart swelling with love. She longs to see his beautiful eyes again.

'I miss you,' she whispers. 'Come back to me, my dearest. I love you, Rumple.' And she presses her lips to his tenderly, calling him back, pouring her love into him.

It seems like an eternity passes, but then she feels a gentle pressure against her lips, and then there's a gasp, but it didn't come from her.

She blinks, tears on her lashes, and she's looking into beautiful, soulful brown eyes. She smiles tearfully. It worked!

'Hey.' It's all she can say. She can hardly breathe, hardly speak, and she knows she needs to say something more than that, but words fail her.

He gazes up at her, frowning and silent, and her heart thumps at the thought that he doesn't know her any more. The love in his heart was gone: it's possible that his memories of her are too.

'Rumple,' she murmurs. She's about to ask him if he remembers her, but then his hand is on her cheek, his thumb tracing her lower lip. She gasps and places her hand over his, holding it against her skin. There's recognition in his eyes.

'You remember me,' she breathes.

His eyes are wandering over her face and he smiles softly, and there's such a light in his eyes. Her heart soars to see it.

'Belle,' he says, his voice a little raspy.

She's crying as she nods. 'Yes.'

'You saved me,' he says, awed.

She smiles.

'I love you,' he says, as if it's the most simple and obvious thing in the world.

She laughs a little and nods. 'Yes, and I love you too.'

She touches her forehead to his and they smile at each other. She knows they have a long road ahead. One kiss won't be enough to heal his heart after centuries of the Darkness corrupting it, but she's prepared to spend her life kissing him if that's what it takes. They're together now: everything's going to be fine.

 **The End**

 **Thank you so much for reading and all the lovely comments. There is a sequel of sorts, though it can also be read independently of this story. It's from Rumple's point of view, set a few weeks after he wakes up. It's coming very soon :)**


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